The present invention relates to a method of preparing foods by utilizing electric heating in which a food material received in a container, such as Chinese-style or wheat noodles, a rice-cooking material, beans, peas, or soup such as miso-soup, is warmed or heated while remaining in the container within a short period of time by the action of a pair of electrodes which are provided in mutual opposition in the container and between which current flows. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.
Among various types of instant food, a certain type, including Chinese-style or wheat instant noodles, and instant soups such as miso-soup, has been known for its capability of being quickly prepared. In general, such food is prepared to be served simply by pouring boiling water into a disposable container receiving the food. During manufacture, such instant food is subjected to a certain drying process so that the food will recover its original state when boiling water is poured, and it will then be readily served. These features of certain instant food and the process enabling them are known from prior art, e.g., from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-23253.
Such conventional instant food, however, involves several drawbacks. For instance, when the temperature of hot water poured into the container is low, this inevitably results in the food being only insufficiently heated. In such cases, because the food is not sufficiently heated, it sometimes fails to become edible even if it has been duly processed during manufacture. If instant food is insufficiently heated, in order to compensate for the insufficient heating, it is necessary to again place the food in a container such as a pot and further heat it, or to pour fresh boiling water.
Since the standard of people's diets has improved, consumers tend to prefer genuine food. This tendency has increased in recent years, and an increasing proportion of food materials manufactured as instant food materials turns out to be goods that are not welcomed by consumers because their tastes and other properties of producing enjoyable sensations are regarded as being inferior. In particular, such instant food materials as Chinese-style noodle materials and processed rice materials, which are manufactured by puffing and, thereafter, drying, often fail to satisfy consumers.